Monday Morning Motivators

50 Motivational Messages to Inspire

You in Your Career and Life

By Anthony Fasano, PE EngineeringCareerCoach.com

2

Introduction I’ve always been inspired by reading motivational books and quotes. There is something about that feeling after reading something inspirational that has really pushed me to take action throughout my career and life. I decided years ago that it would be very fulfilling if I were to inspire people. So one of the first things I did was start a weekly e-mail called the Monday Morning Motivator (MMM). The MMM contained an inspirational quote, photo, and a simple message elaborating how the topic reflected in the quote might apply to my readers. I started by sending them to my family members every Monday morning. One thing led to the next, and after a few years, thousands of engineers and other professionals were receiving and enjoying my MMM. I often received inspiring replies from subscribers thanking me for the inspiration or asking me how I knew what they were going through. While not an easy decision, I recently decided to stop sending the motivators in order to free up some time to focus on some other big goals that I am currently pursuing. However, I didn’t just want to let them go. I wanted to capture some of the MMM inspiration in a way that people could continue to draw on it for years to come. That is why I created this e-book. The next 50 pages contain quotes and messages from one year of the MMM’s. Please draw on these pages for inspiration, as you need it, in your career and life. To your success, Anthony Fasano, PE Author of Engineer Your Own Success www.EngineeringCareerCoach.com

3

“Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life.”

~Henry L. Doherty

My kids started school last week, which always brings the atmosphere of learning back into the household. Backpacks, homework, field trips—all opportunities for learning. However, we as professionals also need to learn and improve on a regular basis. The second we stop doing so, we stop growing. We stop moving closer to our goals. We always have our own homework to do. I have focused a lot on this lately myself, by attending several conferences and training events. The results for me have been invaluable. I want to challenge you this morning, to learn something new, whether it is a new computer program for work, a language you have always wanted to learn, or maybe a musical instrument. Whatever it is, I recommend learning something that will help you move closer to your goals because that is where you ultimately want to be, right? The challenge is on. It’s time to get to work. Here is a post on my blog that may provide some helpful information on learning. http://engineeringcareercoach.com/4stepsforlearning

4

“To be outstanding is to do the same thing others have done in a different way. But to STAND OUT is to do what no one has ever done before. Being outstanding is good, but STANDING OUT is better. So dream, explore, discover, and stand out!!!”

― Olaotan Fawehinmi In order to create an extraordinary career, you will have to be different than everyone else. You will have to be above average; otherwise, you will blend in with the crowd. In this week’s episode of my podcast, I dive into several strategies on how to do this. Here is a summary of them: 1. Give Maximum Value – To stand out, you must give a tremendous amount of value to people, especially clients. Serve them in every way possible and make it easy for them to succeed. Communicate clearly and often with them, and they will be loyal to you and/or your company. 2. Niche Yourself – Select a specific niche and become an expert in it. This is a way to really stand out in your career, yet so many people don’t do it. Don’t think you have to know EVERYTHING. Learn one thing really well and be awesome at it. 3. Go Against the Corporate Mentality – Don’t subscribe to the corporate mentality of climbing the ladder and kicking people off. Instead, push people up. 4. Speak Often – Get out and speak in front of audiences on your topic of expertise. Speak in front of clients, colleagues, professional-association groups, etc. This will boost your credibility and confidence while improving your communication skills. 5. Meet New People – Attend networking events and make it a point not to talk to people you know. This is very uncomfortable, but it will push you to meet new people and expand your network. If you would like to listen to a podcast session where I delve into these topics in detail and give pointed examples, you can do so here: http://engineeringcareercoach.com/standout

5

“Health is a large word. It embraces not the body only, but the mind and spirit as well; and not today's pain or pleasure alone, but the whole being and outlook of a man.”

- James H. West I’d like to remind you of the importance of your health and the impacts that it has on you both personally and professionally. This morning’s quote emphasizes that “health” means a lot of things—not only your physical health, but your mental health as well. It is very easy in the world we live in to work 11 or 12 hours a day and then go home at night and spend a few more hours on your computer or in front of a television. Is that healthy? You have to work hard to have a healthy mind, body and spirit, really hard, but it is totally worth it. I make sure that every day, I read something extremely positive when I wake up in the morning and right before I go to bed. I do some type of exercise early in the morning and walk 30 to 60 minutes per day. Despite the time these types of activities take, implementing them into your day can dramatically increase your overall level of productivity and achievement. This morning I posted an excerpt from my book Engineer Your Own Success that details my daily routine. You can click below to check it out, and hopefully it will inspire you to pay more attention to your health on a regular basis. http://engineeringcareercoach.com/eyospeak

6

“Sure I am this day we are masters of our fate, that the task which has been set before us is not above our strength; that its pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance. As long as we have faith in our own cause and an unconquerable will to win, victory will not be denied us.”

– Winston Churchill We often limit ourselves as to what we can accomplish by doubting ourselves or holding certain goals as too lofty. Don’t do this. You can achieve anything you want to, but to do so, the first step is to believe you can do it. The fastest runner in the world will lose a race every time if she doesn’t think she can win. For some reason, most of us underestimate our strongest assets—our brains. Don’t just practice this yourself; preach it to your colleagues, friends and children. Tell them that they can accomplish anything if they believe they can, and help them do it. It’s time that we stop letting ourselves get in the way of our goals. Start today. Here is a popular post I wrote a few years ago on my birthday that you may find inspirational.

7

“I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the road that I have the most passion on, because then you can never really blame yourself for making the wrong choices. You can always say you're following your passion.”

- Darren Aronofsky I like this quote because of the way the author talks about passion, saying he wants to end up at a point where he has no regrets; this is a great way to think of it. I chose passion as a topic this week because of something that I saw in a coffee shop the other day. A man and woman were having a very engaging conversation. They were looking at photos, paging through textbooks and notebooks. Excitement was apparent in everything they said and did. I felt their energy and really wanted to know what they were talking about, so I leaned their way and listened intently. They were talking about running. Yes, running. As I listened, I realized they were two runners preparing for a marathon, and they were discussing every detail from breathing techniques to their practice schedules and locations. My initial reaction was surprise that they were so engaged in a conversation about running, but the next thing that came to my mind was: PASSION. They were passionate about running, and it showed. What are you passionate about? Are you doing it? If not, will you regret not doing it? The time is now.

8

"Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear."

- Dan Millman This morning, I want to make sure that you realize how important your willpower is in achieving your goals. Whether you just graduated college or are about to retire, there are undoubtedly goals that you want to reach in your career and life over the next few years. Setting your goals clearly will make it easy for you to see the steps you need to take to achieve them, but it is your willpower that will ensure that you push through these steps, in good times and bad. A lot of people give up on goals. In many cases, that is the easier way to go. It is the people with strong wills, however, who are able to maintain their determination and motivation to achieve their goals. The road to your goals won’t always be straight and smooth, but if you possess willpower, you will overcome all obstacles in your way. I know you can. Below is the link to one of my podcast episodes, where I interviewed personal development expert Leo Gura, during which he explained the importance of willpower and how to build yours: http://engineeringcareercoach.com/leo

9

“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.”

~ Lin Yutang The message I want to relay to you this through this quote is to keep things simple in your career and life. In today’s society, most people measure themselves by how many tasks they get done each day, not by the impact that those tasks create. If you wish to increase the fulfillment you enjoy at work or at home, don’t try to do everything, keep it simple, and do only those things that really matter. I provide career guidance to a lot of engineers, and they often get tied up in the details of a project and neglect the big picture. They also often fail to realize that if they delegate many of their tasks, they can focus more on the practical overall design of a project and how it might best serve the community. Don’t always focus on how many things you can cross off your to-do list. Instead, focus on those things that will impact the most people or have the most positive impact for you, your company, and/or your family.

10

“To dream by night is to escape your life. To dream by day is to make it happen.”

― Stephen Richards I recently stumbled upon this quote, and truthfully it took me a few minutes to understand it, but once I did, it really hit me. Many people go through the motions each day, in jobs that are not fulfilling to them. They do it because they believe that they have to. Then, when they are not at work, they do side jobs that they love, or they think for hours about their dream jobs. The reality of life is that in today’s world, you have so many tools available to you that, instead of dreaming, you can take action if you really want to, and make your dreams a reality. Do you want a more enjoyable job? Go get it. Do you want to move to a far-off country, live very inexpensively and see the world? Go do it. Do you want to start sharing your thoughts about a topic that you are passionate about? Go start a blog, it’s free and takes minutes. The tools available today make it easier to achieve your goals than ever before, but you have to start by taking the first step.

11

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

- Winston Churchill

I love this quote because, based on my own experience, if you follow the second half, amazing things will happen to you—especially in your career. The world is filled with problems, and if you focus on all of the difficult things that these problems bring, you will bring those difficulties into your own life. However, if you decide to look for the opportunities in tough situations, what do you think will happen? You will find them; and even if you can’t, the act of looking for them will set your mind constantly running through positive scenarios, keeping you in a very positive state of mind. A perfect opportunity is when someone in a senior position to you leaves your company. Your initial reaction may be, “Oh no, now I have to do all of his or her work, too.” However, the optimistic reaction is, “Wow, this is an opportunity for immediate advancement for me if I can step up and fill his or her role.” Problem or opportunity? Fortunately, you get to decide.

12

“Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.”

- Denis Waitley Based on my own career and life experiences, this quote truly sums up what I believe to be an awesome way to approach life. Let me dissect this quote: We all make mistakes. However, if we look for opportunity in them, especially in the form of knowledge that we can apply to future situations, our mistakes become treasures. I have always been a big believer in goal setting, and I have confirmed through my own trials that the more specific your goals are, the more drive you garner to achieve them; and achieve them you will. Dwelling on the past or constantly thinking about the future too much won’t be helpful in your pursuit of your goals. Enjoy the most important moment in your life—this moment. Be fully engaged in everything you do, with those you are doing it with.

13

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”

- Michelangelo This quote reminds us that to truly grow, we must push ourselves. We must be bold in the goals we set, and aggressive in our pursuit of them. This is not easy to do. It’s easy to say, "I want to get better this year or become more efficient," but saying something is not good enough. What does better or more efficient mean? How will you know if you are better or if you become more efficient? Challenge yourself with bold goals and create quantifiable benchmarks for measuring your progress. Then, measure that progress on a regular basis. Doing these two things will greatly facilitate growth both personally and professionally.

14

“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.”

– Tony Robbins I chose this Tony Robbins quote for the Motivator today because I have recently seen many colleagues fail by continuing to do the things that they have always done, whether they work or not. If you have a goal that you are passionate about, then follow it. However, if you haven’t achieved it after a long period of time, stop pursuing it and reflect on why you haven’t reached your goal What have you done that has worked? What have you done that hasn’t worked? What haven’t you tried yet? Can you try it? Can you easily track whether or not it will have an impact? Don’t let your passion push you to the point where you are just spinning your wheels. Stop. Reflect. Reset. Re-tool. Succeed.

15

“If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair, you’re fooling yourself. That’s like expecting the lion not to eat you because you didn’t eat him.”

– Unknown I stumbled upon this great quote and thought it was perfect for the motivator today. Why? Too many people lately have been contacting me with excuses for why they can’t reach their goals. I have heard things like “My development is up to my boss, not me,” and “My company won’t allow me to move up for another year or two.” Your development and how fast you achieve your goals is only up to one person - you! No one else. I know, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Maybe you have lost your job or are having financial struggles. At the end of the day, it is still up to you and only you to pick yourself up and get back on track. As soon as we start to feel sorry for ourselves, we become powerless. Not everything may seem fair, but whether the world is fair or not, you have the power to create opportunities for yourself - go do it!

16

“You manage things; you lead people.”

- Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper

This is a very simple quote, but one that I believe to be extremely valuable. In the engineering industry, where I have spent a lot of my career, people are big on management and the path to become a manager. In fact, I have written many blog posts on this topic and use these terms because my audience is used to them, but I do not like the term manager; I prefer leader. Here is a sample. I have always thought of a manager as someone who is good at organizing things and overseeing tasks, projects, and people. Leaders, on the other hand, may do all of that as well, but more importantly they lead people. A leader inspires his or her team or staff to unite, and take action towards a common goal. He or she inspires these people every day, not just whenever he or she feels like it. Abraham Lincoln received less than half of the votes in the 16th presidential election, yet he was able to inspire Americans, even the many who didn’t vote for him, and is still considered one of the most successful US Presidents. Would you ever refer to Abraham Lincoln as a great manager? I wouldn’t, but he is known as one of the greatest leaders that ever lived. I write this message to you to inspire you to be a leader in your career and life, whether you are an engineer, teacher, parent, etc. There will always be people (or at least one person) looking to you for guidance, don’t just manage them, lead them.

17

“Leaders who win the respect of others are the ones who deliver more than they promise, not the ones who promise more than they can deliver.”

- Mark A. Clement This quote has one very clear message that I want to share with you: do what you say you are going to do. People often get stumped trying to figure out how to be powerful, well-respected leaders, and I think this quote gives a simple recipe which few people follow. Deliver. When hired into new positions or elected to new offices, people often make promises. Promises are worthless. They help no one. My challenge to you is to think about what promises you have made to your staff, spouse, or children, and to start to deliver on them. Do whatever it takes. I promise you, if you do so, they will respect you as a leader and a person, and you will start to achieve your goals faster.

18

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

― Steve Jobs I love selecting Steve Jobs quotes for the motivators. Most of them give me goose bumps, as this one does. We all have crazy, outlandish ideas during our careers. Whether we follow them or not is a different story. I remember, about five years ago, sitting on my couch at home, I had the crazy idea of leaving behind a successful engineering career to become a career coach for engineers. Honestly, I didn’t even know what a career coach really was—but I figured it out, and I followed the unconventional path. While many people viewed me as a round peg in a square hole when I originally made my decision, since that time, among other things, I have been able to write a book, build a thriving community, blog, and podcast for engineers, and I have also authored two kids’ books and delivered them to hundreds of children with cancer. I could have ignored my rebellious thoughts. I could have stuck with the easier route of staying in the field I was educated in, but I didn’t, and I am thankful for that. Be crazy sometimes, be rebellious, be a misfit. Forget the rules and see what happens. Just this once. That may be all you need…

19

“Don't be afraid of your fears. They're not there to scare you. They're there to let you know that something is worth it.”

― C. Joy Bell I absolutely love this quote, because I have spoken to so many professionals who pass on career opportunities because of fear. They use phrases to describe their decisions such as “My situation now is too stable to leave” or “I am not good enough for this position yet.” This quote reminds us that fear is not meant to scare us, but instead to reinforce the fact that sometimes the exciting opportunities are scary because they are the ones we truly want to embrace. If you constantly let fear dictate your career path, odds are your career will be safe and “stable,” but how much fun is that? Today, I write you with a challenge. The next time you face fear of any kind, push through it. Regardless of what the fear is trying to prevent you from doing—do it anyway. I know this isn’t easy, but doing it can change your career and change your life forever. Trust me, it will be worth it.

20

“A notepad by the bedside accounts for half the earnings of my livelihood.”

- Ever Garrison This is a simple quote, but it reminded me of something a friend said to me recently about ideas. He mentioned that the difference between what he has accomplished in his career and what other, super-successful people had accomplished was simple. It wasn’t that they had bigger or better ideas than him, it was that they were able to take their ideas and execute them, making them realities. How many times do you come up with a brilliant idea that you scribble down, either lying in bed or driving in the car—but then never do anything more with that idea than write it down? It’s meaningless if you don’t take action! That’s what my seven-year-old daughter and I did with our kids’ book idea, which we are now planning to utilize to inspire hundreds of sick children. She had the idea, and I helped her act upon it - and we able to raise the funds to accomplish the goal. Don’t simply go through life full of bright ideas - convert them into realities that will change your life and maybe the lives of others.

21

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”

- Michael Jordan I speak with a lot of engineers and other professionals about their goals and dreams on a daily basis. I talk to people who dream extremely big, and others who, well, not so big. However, those who reach their goals, regardless of how lofty they are, are usually those who realize that dreaming isn’t enough—they must understand the steps to achieve their goals and take action to make them happen. Athletes like Michael Jordan practice and develop their craft until they are among the best in their fields, but that is only the first step. Then, when it comes time for the game, they outperform everyone else. It’s not enough to just set goals. You have to take action to make those goals a reality; and when I say action, I mean it in a big way. In the words of Tony Robbins, “Take massive action.” Think about a goal you are pursuing right now. Think about something BIG that you can do that will have a major impact on whether or not you achieve that goal and how quickly you do so. That’s making it happen. Start thinking and acting bigger!

22

“The only way to get what you're worth is to stand out, to exert emotional labor, to be seen as indispensable, and to produce interactions that organizations and people care deeply about.”

― Seth Godin, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? Are you indispensable? Does it matter? Why am I asking you these questions? The answer means everything. If you want to stand out in your field, you will need to be extraordinary, and to achieve that, you must possess qualities or skills that are rare. I help engineers become indispensable through my Institute for Engineering Career Development—and the effect that has on their careers and lives is amazing, sometimes even challenging because of the increase in responsibilities that can come with it. Let’s take engineering as an example. If you want to become indispensable in your field, become an expert. Write papers and speak at conferences. Use LinkedIn to build your credibility, reputation, and network. Join professional associations as specific as possible to your field. For example, if you want to become an expert in concrete, become involved in the American Concrete Institute. Then, of course, produce high-quality work, work that will stand out. I know what you’re thinking; this is a lot of work. And you’re right. That’s why most people aren’t indispensable, and their careers and lives are dictated by others.

23

“Think big and don't listen to people who tell you it can't be done. Life's too short to think small.”

- Tim Ferriss You hear a lot of people these days saying that you must “think big” or “think outside the box.” What exactly does that mean? Here’s my take on it, in the form of phrases associated with each term. I hope it jump-starts your week. How to Think Small Follow the traditional route. Do what people tell you to do, no more, no less. Meet expectations. Survive. Make it through the day. How to Think Big Take risks and blaze new paths. Do what you want to do and what you love to do. Exceed expectations—your expectations. Thrive. Enjoy every day. While these are only simple lists of phrases, the difference between the two lists is huge. I hope you lean toward the thinking-big approach in your career and life.

24

“The choices you make now, the people you surround yourself with, they all have the potential to affect your life, even who you are, forever.”

― Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever Do you ever think about the people you surround yourself with and how important they are to whether or not you reach your goals? You should, because they’re extremely important. In fact, there is another great quote by Jim Rohn that really drives this point home: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” I challenge you to think hard about this and focus on surrounding yourself with people who will put you in a position to succeed, both personally and professionally. Professional associations present a great avenue for building a network of positive, motivated people in your industry whom you can lean on for support and inspiration. You can also look to community groups or your church to build positive, supportive relationships. Please don’t dismiss this point. Surrounding yourself with the right people may be the most important thing you do in your career and life.

25

“Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.”

- William James

I have a story to share with you today that relates to this week’s quote. I have been doing a lot of podcasting lately, and recently I recorded an entire 45-minute podcast session – or at least I thought I did. In my office, I set up my microphone and recorder and went through an entire show, only to realize as soon as I was finished that I had forgotten to turn the microphone on, and therefore the recording was not usable. I allowed this to bother me for one second, literally. Then I immediately said to myself, I’m just going to have to do it again and make it better this time. This attitude is something I have developed gradually by reading positive quotes and books and surrounding myself with positive people. In the past, that mistake may have ruined my day or week—not anymore. I re-recorded the podcast, and it was better. I also created a checklist to ensure that that mistake never happens again—another positive that came out of it. When faced with a troubling situation in your career or life, accept it for what it is, and then take the positive out of it and use it to your advantage moving forward.

26

“Intentional living is the art of making our own choices before others' choices make us.”

― Richie Norton

Many people I know wait for others to give them instructions in their careers. Reach this level to make this much money… Get this certification if you want a promotion… Work for a company of this size to get this opportunity… Clock this many years before expecting this kind of salary… Advice, mentoring, coaching, and guidance are all helpful in career and personal development. However, only YOU can take the advice and implement it into your career. Before you blindly follow the path others set for you, ask yourself whether their version of your trajectory is all you could wish for. You don’t need to buy into people’s opinions on how to run your life and manage your career. You can achieve lofty positions in your industry younger than people tell you. You can make much more money than everyone else in your industry does. You can be promoted in half the time that others are… …as long as you have clear goals and a plan for achieving them. Your career path is your choice, no one else’s.

27

“Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”

― John D. Rockefeller

I can’t tell you how many professionals have come to me and told me that they don’t like their current job, yet they are afraid to leave it because it is a “good” job and offers stability. Here’s a news flash: most people spend 50 hours minimum per week working. That’s 2,600 hours per year and most likely over 100,000 hours in your career. Do you want to spend 100,000 hours doing something good or doing something great? I understand that there are risks involved in leaving a stable/boring opportunity for a more risky yet exciting one, but with risk can come very high rewards, like more engagement and fulfillment on a daily basis. I’m not telling you to give up what you have to chase all of your career dreams and aspirations—oh wait. Yes, I am. Because if you think about it, it’s probably a pretty good idea. Doing so may take sacrifices. You may have to surrender some of the current luxuries you are enjoying, but 100,000 hours from now (and, most importantly, every minute of every day), you’ll be extremely happy that you did. It’s time to go from good to great. Wait no longer.

28

“The discontent and frustration that you feel is entirely your own creation.”

― Stephen Richards I have received e-mails lately from many professionals who are down on themselves. While I hope these weekly e-mails provide you with motivation, I also want you to be able to motivate yourself as needed. This week’s quote should help you to do that. We all get down on ourselves at times. We doubt ourselves. We think of the hundreds of different ways that we can fail. If you ever get into this state, please remember that you most likely created it yourself, whether through your own doubt or fear or through allowing something that happened to you to negatively affect your mindset. When this happens, you must fight it. You must remind yourself that you are the one creating these feelings and you are the one who can make them go away. Visualize yourself succeeding and being the best in your field at whatever you do. Reach out to your friends, coaches, and mentors to get some positive reinforcement. You’ll get through it and you will do amazing things. Yes, you will.

29

“Don’t let today’s opportunities become tomorrow’s what-ifs.”

– Pat Flynn I have spoken to a lot of professionals lately who have been faced with career-changing decisions, and I thought this quote would provide some inspiration for when you are deciding whether or not to embrace an opportunity. Opportunities come and go, and not all of them may be good for you, but how can you determine which ones are? You should consider your goals and, more importantly, your values. What’s important to you? Is the opportunity you are evaluating in line with your values? Will it help you achieve your goals faster than if you didn’t embrace it? Trust me, the last thing you want is to have to ask yourself that dreaded “what if” question for the rest of your life. That can really affect your confidence in a negative way. So next time an opportunity presents itself, before you pass on it, be sure that it doesn’t align with your values or goals. Otherwise you might be stuck asking “what if” for a long time.

30

“Life is a preparation for the future; and the best preparation for the future is to live as if there were none.”

― Albert Einstein

This is a very simple quote but extremely powerful, and an easy one to read over and over as I have many times. Everyone I encounter in today’s fast-paced world is chasing something. They are working hard to get somewhere in the future. They are saving money to be able to use it for retirement in the future. They are working 70 hours per week to ensure that they can relax in the future. The problem (and Tim Ferriss recognized this long before me in his book The Four-Hour Work Week) is that when we constantly plan for the future, we sacrifice TODAY. To me, that is not a good approach, because today is what matters. Today, I want to share with you a story from Ferriss’ book that captures the mentality of many modern professionals. It is my hope that this story about the Mexican fisherman and the American businessman will help you remember that what is most important is enjoying today. Click on the link below to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFOMLzPt_4E

31

“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt I wanted to share this quote with you because there are two messages in it that I feel are extremely valuable. First, if you try an approach in your career or personal life and it doesn’t work, then stop doing it, admit it, and try something else. So many people are stubborn to the point that they will keep doing something that isn’t working because they don’t want their idea to be seen as a bad one. This is a waste of time and energy. Giving up on a certain approach or strategy doesn’t mean that you are giving up on your goal or dream, just that you are going to explore better ways of achieving it. The second powerful message in this quote is that you must try SOMETHING. So many people plan and plan and think, but they don’t try, they don’t take action. Try and try! Even if it doesn’t work the first time, you have to start on the path toward your goals or—I can guarantee you—you will not achieve them. I hope this message inspires you to take steps toward your goals, and if the path you first go down doesn’t work, STOP and take a different path. You will get there, but you must keep moving forward, every day.

32

“Nothing is predestined: The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.”

- Ralph Blum

I chose this quote because a good friend of mine is going through a difficult time in his life right now and it has him stuck in a rut that he is trying to climb out of. Who hasn’t been in this situation? I am sure you have at some point. We all have. In coaching school, I learned something that was invaluable to me. There is no such thing as a “bad” situation, and if you adopt that perspective, then you will see good in everything that happens. I explained this to my friend on the phone just the other day. I urged him to take the good out of his current situation and utilize it to move forward. If he can’t find any good, then I recommended that he think about what he is learning from this situation and how he can utilize that knowledge to improve his experience moving forward. We are all destined to face adversity in our careers and lives, but adversity can be a good—no, a great thing if we learn from it, and I urge you to always attempt to do so.

33

“My responsibility is getting all my players playing for the name on the front of the jersey, not the one on the back.”

–Unknown I believe that this quote captures the true essence of leadership. If you have managed a team or simply been part of one, whether a project team at the office or an athletic team on the field—this quote can be extremely powerful. As a leader, it is your job to unite your team and inspire them to move forward together towards one common goal. As soon as one of the members puts their own interest ahead of that common goal, it becomes very difficult to achieve it. However, uniting a group this way is easier said than done. How do you get a team to band together? First you need to create a goal that each of the members wants, and then have them put together a plan to achieve it with your guidance. Everyone loves following his or her own plans. You already are a leader, but if you can get a team to unite, you will be a great one.

34

“It takes nothing to join the crowd. It takes everything to stand alone.”

– Hans F. Hansen It is easy to do the same thing every day. Maybe a better word to use is “comfortable.” Getting comfortable in your career can be dangerous, especially if what you are doing is not really what you want to be doing. Unfortunately, I have spoken to many people who tell me that they aren’t happy in their current jobs. They want to be doing something else. But… They are too comfortable, and their jobs are “stable.” I have also spoken to many people who thought their jobs were stable, only to find out that they were anything but that. The point is it is easy to confuse comfort with happiness. Please don’t do this. If you aren’t really happy in your job, it is time to start feeling uncomfortable, if you know what I mean…

35

“Every journey begins with the first step, only if you take it.”

– IECD Member This quote is a modification of an ancient Chinese proverb as made by one of our Institute for Engineering Career Development members. She said it on one of our group coaching calls after reflecting on her career and life goals. She explained how many people set goals and then plan to death on how to achieve them, but often don’t take that all-important first step. Is this happening to you? Are you suffering from paralysis of analysis? Planning is important, but not to the point that it prevents or delays your ability to take action. This member really inspired our group when she shared this thought with us, and therefore I wanted to share it with you. Take the first step toward something special, today.

36

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.”

– Paul Meyer

People tell me all the time that they want to become more productive. It’s like they think that becoming more productive will instantly add more hours to their days. It’s not that easy and there is no straight recipe for becoming more productive. However, I can give you one tip: it doesn’t happen when you work off the cuff. What I mean is, when you work on whatever feels right or spend all day responding to e-mails, you will never be productive. You have to have a plan. The last thing I do at the end of the day is make a list of three to five things that I want to accomplish the next day, in order of importance, and I start working on number one first thing the next morning. This keeps me focused on what’s important. Please stay focused on the big things, not the little ones. That is sure-fire way to increase productivity.

37

“Direction is more important than speed.”

– Unknown Unfortunately I can’t find the author of this brilliant quote, but it is definitely a mantra that we should all consider as we run full speed ahead in our careers. Like everyone else, I am sure you want to accomplish big things at a fast pace, which is wonderful, as long as these accomplishments contribute to your overall vision of success. Accomplishing a lot and being productive feels good in the moment, but there is nothing worse than being productive for hours, days, or even years, and then saying, “What did I really accomplish?” I don’t want that to happen to you and I hope this quote and message inspire you to ensure that you are headed in the right direction so that you maintain a career and life filled with purpose. Remember it’s not your speed, but direction that truly matters.

38

“Don't wait for your ship to come in; swim out to it.”

- Cathy Hopkins How many goals have you pursued in the past few years that you haven’t reached? Why didn’t you reach them? In answering this question, you may realize that you were too passive. You were waiting for someone or something to come to you. Starting today, the waiting stops. It’s about time that you go after your goals full speed ahead. You run to that finish line. You swim after that ship. You do what you have to do and don’t let anyone or anything stand in the way. This year can be your year, if you set clear goals and aggressively pursue them.

39

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”

- Edith Lovejoy Pierce

As we close out another year, let’s take some time to reflect on our accomplishments from last year, but then let’s shift to thinking about the opportunities we are going to embark upon this year. This quote is great in that it reminds us that a new year is a blank slate on which we can create whatever it is that we desire. It is a new start, no matter how good or bad last year was. It is a blank canvas for us to paint with our own colors and illustrations. I challenge you to make this your absolute best year ever. I challenge you to set goals that are outside of your comfort zone and then pursue them at all costs. If not now, when? It’s time for you….now.

40

"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction."

– John F. Kennedy This quote emphasizes the importance of purpose and direction in our lives. You can ensure that your career and life are always full of purpose and direction by setting clear and powerful goals and aggressively pursuing them every day. The key, however, to maintaining purpose and direction is to ensure that the goals you are pursuing are truly important to you. Too many people chase goals that aren’t truly important to them and therefore lack purpose and direction in their lives. For example, I have spoken to people who have told me that their families are the most important thing in the world to them, yet they are working around the clock to achieve a salary that is much higher than what they would need to support their families—and in turn sacrificing a lot of their family time. As you prepare to embark upon a new year, set goals for yourself that will bring you closer to what’s most important to you in life. Whatever that may be. Doing so will ensure that your days will be filled with purpose and direction.

41

“No matter what happens to you in your life, you alone have the capacity to choose your response to it. When you form the habit for searching for the positive in every circumstance, your life will move into its highest dimensions. This is one of the greatest of all natural laws.”

- Robin Sharma This morning I wanted to share with you this short excerpt from one of my favorite books, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, by Robin Sharma. This excerpt highlights the importance of our response to adversity in our lives. It specifically highlights the fact that we choose how we respond to every situation, and once we realize that and embrace it, we can experience a much richer life. I have found this to be very true, based both on my personal experience and on my coaching work with professionals over the years. Undoubtedly, adversity will present itself in your career and life, probably multiple times. The way you choose to respond to it will set the course for everything that you experience after that. I challenge you to read this quote several times over the next week and remember it in every situation that you must respond to, whether it be with an action, a conversation, etc. I would also recommend that if you want to change someone’s life (including your own), buy Robin’s book as a holiday gift for that person. The effects will be long-lasting if they embrace the story.

42

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

- Albert Schweitzer As Thanksgiving week is upon us here in the US, I wanted to kick it off for you with this quote. I talk to many professionals who have gone stagnant in their careers, or who have lost their jobs and are desperately trying to find new ones to support their families. We have all gone through periods where our own lights go out, so to speak. This Thanksgiving, in addition to being thankful for your family and everything else that you have, think about those people who have helped you re-energize your career and life. Think about the times you were one step away from giving up, but someone reached out to you with another opportunity, or the times you thought you had reached the end of a certain path only to be led into a new, adventurous one by someone who cared. Reach out to those people who helped ignite the flame inside of you. Thank them for what they have done and offer to return the favor. Offer to help them achieve one of their greatest goals. Share some of your flame. Happy Thanksgiving. I am grateful that you allow me to start each of your weeks off with my motivational messages.

43

“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year.”

- John Foster Dulles Through this quote, I challenge you to think about the progress you have made in the past year. I am constantly challenging engineers and other professionals to set lofty goals that are in alignment with their passions and put all their energy into pursuing them. Doing this is a great rule to live by, but if we never measure our progress, how we do know if we are making any? Do you feel like you have made progress in your job? Well, has your salary increased? Do you feel like you have made some new friends in the last year? How often do you get to meet with them? Do you feel like you have travelled this year more than last? If so, how many days out of the year have you spent away from home? The point of this morning’s message is to challenge you to think of ways that you can measure your progress in your career and life. Imagine you took one day off of work and sat at home and literally created a document that you could use to measure your progress on all of your goals. It’s highly unlikely that anyone will do this, but in reality it may be one of the most important things we can do. If we are spinning our wheels all year making no progress, it is our duty to ourselves to figure that out and get back on track. Take small steps, but track them and track your progress. Measuring your progress will help to ensure that you are on course to achieve all of your career goals and dreams.

44

“Why is patience so important? Because it makes us pay attention.”

- Paulo Coelho Today’s quote comes to us from the author of one of my favorite books, The Alchemist. I was spurred to find this quote because I have noticed how rushed everyone is in today’s world, including myself. We are all running around trying to see how many things we can get done in a day—how many tasks we can cross off on our to-do lists, how many phone calls we can make or e-mails we can send—yet while we are getting things done, we are all missing one big thing: LIFE. We are missing all of the little things that are special to us in life, like the conversations we have because we didn’t rush out of the coffee shop; the relationships that grow strong because we take the time to have deeper conversations; the creativity that comes about from reading a book; the joy associated with watching our kids grow up. I would like to urge you to spend a little less time focusing on your professional goals and a little more time focusing on your personal goals. Just a little more time. I think you will be happy that you did. I know I will.

45

“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.”

– Malcolm Forbes Unfortunately, this quote is all too true, at least based on my coaching work with engineers and other professionals over the last few years. For some reason, most people tend to undervalue their abilities, which often affects their confidence and ultimately what they achieve in their careers. Please do not do this. Everyone has a value that they bring to this world, to his or her company, his or her clients, etc. Please understand what your value is and don’t undervalue yourself. There is another quote that expresses similar sentiments: “If we treated our friends the way we treat ourselves, we’d all be in jail.” I want you to really think about this. Are you clear on your value, and do you communicate that value on a regular basis when attempting to create career opportunities? If you don’t value yourself then don’t be surprised when other people don’t value you either. Whether it’s in your next discussion with a client or with your supervisor, remember, you are much more valuable than you think.

46

“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.”

– Andrew Carnegie In my recent Engineer Your Own Success seminar series in Alaska, many attendees voiced a similar challenge that they face: internal motivation. They have goals, but can’t always motivate themselves to achieve them. How can you overcome a challenge like this? The first thing you should do is ensure that the goal is truly important to you. If it isn’t, then consider walking through the goal-setting process again. Are your goals lined up with your values and what’s really important to you, or are you chasing a goal that is what the industry or other professionals are telling you is right for you? If you are aligned with your goals but still can’t get motivated, enlist the help of someone else or a group of people. It’s easy to say you are going to accomplish something, but when you have someone there to hold you accountable on a regular basis, everything changes. You now have to answer to someone, and that usually provides motivation. This pillar of support might be a mentor, a coach, or some other type of support group. This is the reason I started the Institute for Engineering Career Development to provide that support group for engineers. The bottom line here is you must motivate yourself in your career and life, so it’s important you figure out the best way to do so. By setting goals that are important to you and finding support towards achieving them, you should dramatically increase your chances of staying motivated in your career and personal development efforts.

47

“History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats."

– B.C. Forbes I have spoken to a lot of professionals lately who have told me they have ‘failed’ in their careers and this failure has discouraged them from further development. There are two points I want to make on this topic in an effort to help you start your week off positively. Firstly, the person that is experiencing the situation defines ‘failure’. For example, let’s say my new podcast, The Engineering Career Coach, which just launched, only gets downloaded 10 times. I can look at this outcome and say to myself, “oh man, that stinks, only 10 downloads after all that work,” OR I can say, “wow, that’s 10 engineers’ careers and lives that might change through listening to the podcast.” I always opt for the latter perspective. You decide what failure is for you. Secondly, even if you do experience ‘failure’ in your career or life, it’s your response to the failure that will dictate to your overall level of success. My response to ‘failure’ is always, how can I use this experience to learn and grow and ensure that I do this better next time. You decide what you take out of the experience. The bottom line here is that you can and should expect to ‘fail’ in your career, but remember you have a lot more control over this than you think. You actually define failure and decide how you want to respond to it. That being said ‘failure’ isn’t as bad as it sounds. I hope this message helps to avoid discouragement and stagnation due to your ‘failures.’

48

“To think is easy, to act is difficult. To act as one thinks is most difficult.”

- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe I really like this quote because I have seen it to be true first hand through my coaching with and speaking to thousands of engineers. So many of them come up to me and say “I want to do this in my career” or “I am going to start a new initiative at my company doing this.” Unfortunately, these thoughts never get further than that – thought. Thinking is the easy part. Any of us can sit and brainstorm ideas, even write them down on paper, but taking action to make them a reality is a lot harder. This is harder for many reasons, two of which are usually fear and lack of knowledge of what it will take to realize the ideas. Then there are people who actually have an idea and take action, but their actions are not related or helpful to realizing their ideas or goals. This is almost worse than not acting, because in this scenario, they are using up precious time and energy. So please, if you have ideas or goals that you want to realize, first take the time to think about which types of action will help you to realize them. Then put together a plan to implement those actions in an effective and efficient way. I know you can.

49

“When you are angry or frustrated, what comes out? Whatever it is, it’s a good indication of what you’re made of.”

– H. Jackson Brown Jr. How many times have you said something or sent an e-mail out of frustration only to regret it later on? This happens way too often. People get frustrated and say something that ends up permanently damaging a relationship or eliminating an opportunity because they got caught up in the moment. When you get into a situation where you are upset with someone or a group of people, consider the consequences of what you say to them. Not just the short-term consequences, but the long-term ones as well. For example, let’s say you’re waiting for some information from a client and they end up sending it to you last minute, forcing you to almost miss a deadline. You could blow up at them and tell them that their project was almost derailed because they were late in getting you the information, or you could approach it in a more calm and positive manner. You could say something like, “Jim, I just want to let you know that we were very close to missing the deadline because you provided the information needed so close to it. In the future, please try to get us the required information earlier so we have time to review and can ensure that your project is done to the highest of standards and, of course, finished on time. We just want to provide you with the best service possible at all times.” It’s not always easy to take this approach, especially not in the moment, but considering the long-term consequences of your actions will help you to do so.

50

“When I was five years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

– John Lennon I work with a lot of engineers and professionals through one-on-one coaching, and many of them are not happy in their career or life. My job is to help them become happier. The one thing I always ask them is, “What do you do each day?” I then follow up with another question: “Why do you do it?” Oftentimes, in response to the first question, people list out their job responsibilities and explain to me all of the monotonous things they do in their job each day. Then they answer the second question by saying something like “I do it because I have to pay the bills.” The answer to the second question is NEVER “because it makes me happy.” After those two answers, I usually end up asking another question like “What would make you more happy in your career?” People proceed to tell me multiple things that would make them happier if they were to do them on a daily basis. I then go through a process with them to create a plan to incorporate these things into their careers and lives. Essentially I try to help them become happier. Don’t just do things in your career because you have to. Do them because you want to. Do them because they will make you happy—and when this becomes hard to do, just reread the above quote by John Lennon.

51

“Success is a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.”

― Robert Strauss I love this quote because it is so true, at least in my experience. I’ve often felt like I have been wrestling a gorilla in trying to accomplish some of the lofty goals that I set for myself. I have also been tempted to quit when I was tired, but I haven’t—because I am clear on my goals and WHY I want to achieve them. I keep going, going, and going. You too will get tired. You will get tired and frustrated and deflated at times if you pursue your goals, but you will get through these obstacles if you keep going. You too will be tempted to quit. When you are considering the possibility of quitting, think about why you started this journey in the first place and how you won’t stop until you realize your goal, and you will realize it. When you wrestle the gorilla, you stand up for what you believe. You follow your passion to wherever it leads you. You stay up late many nights or wake up very early. You ride trains, planes, and buses to far stretches of the Earth because you believe in something and you are willing to wrestle the gorilla to get it. Don’t quit when you are tired. Quit when the gorilla is tired, because that my friend is success.

52

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

- Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963 I recently had the opportunity to visit the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington, DC. It was pretty amazing. There was a very inspiring wall of quotes there with different powerful sayings from Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). MLK had a vision, and he fought for it at all costs. This in itself is a lesson that we can all learn from in our careers and lives—if you have something you feel strongly about and you pursue it, you can accomplish amazing things. However, I wanted to utilize the above quote for today’s motivator because I have spoken to a lot of people recently who are experiencing challenge and controversy in their careers, whether it be unemployment or an issue with their company or supervisor. These are the moments that will define your career. Things are easy when everything is going well. It’s when faced with a challenge that you can really measure yourself. How do you respond to a challenge or a perceived failure? Do you stay strong? Do you overcome it? Do you learn from it? Do you use that challenge to inspire you to be greater in your career and personal development efforts? From now on, start seeing challenges in your career as opportunities. If you do this, everything will change.

53

Index: Communication skills, 4 Delegation, 9 Enjoying today, 12, 30 Failure, 28, 47, 52 Fear, 19, 48 Frustration, 49 Goals

achieving goals, 3, 6, 12, 14, 15, 37 goal setting, 8, 13, 15, 17, 26, 38, 39, 40, 46 measuring progress, 13, 43 personal goals, 44 take action, 10, 20, 21, 31, 35, 48 think big, 21, 23 values, 29, 46

Gratitude, 42 Happiness, 27, 33, 34, 44, 49, 50 Health, 5 Indispensable, see stand out Leader, 16, 17, 33 Learning, 3 Motivation, 8, 28, 46 Networking, 4 Opportunities, 11, 27, 29, 39, 52 Passion, 7, 10, 14, 51 Positive, being, 11, 12, 25, 28, 32, 41, 47, 49 Productivity, 35, 37 Professional associations, 25 see also networking Quitting, 51 Stand out, 4, 18, 22 Value yourself, 45 Willpower, 8

54

About the author:

Anthony Fasano, P.E. is the founder of the Institute for Engineering Career Development (IECD) and the bestselling author of Engineer Your Own Success: 7 Key Elements to Creating an Extraordinary Engineering Career. He is known in the engineering industry as the engineering career coach because he has helped countless engineers create extraordinary careers and lives. Fasano struggled early on in his engineering career (like many engineers) just trying to figure out where he wanted to go in the industry and how to get there. He soon realized that most successful engineers had a combination of good technical skills and dynamic interpersonal skills. After realizing that, and developing his non-technical skills, Anthony went on to become an associate partner at a highly regarded engineering firm at just 27 years old. At that time Fasano decided his goal was to help all engineers develop their non-technical skills putting themselves in a position to achieve their career goals and dreams. He has since attended one of the top-ranked career coaching schools and now travels the country focusing solely on helping engineers and engineering organizations grow and succeed. He is the host of the popular iTunes podcast: The Engineering Career Coach. Fasano blogs and podcasts often for engineers through his website: www.EngineeringCareerCoach.com